Promise
by XxSpiderGirlxX
Summary: She was a weird one. She always spoke in riddles, and looked at me with those knowing eyes. She had a secret life that I have yet to understand and figure out. She was a loner, living a life of solitude. Why she ever befriended me, I have no idea. It was only until it was too late that everything about her began to make sense.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden.

()()()

A little boy, no older than the age of four, was running happily around the streets of Konoha. The sun's rays glared off of the orange-tinted goggles the boy wore.

His name is Obito Uchiha.

He was in a really good mood, as just today, his grandmother had told him he'll be entering the academy a year from now. He's finally starting his path to becoming a Hokage!

He ran around, not a care to where he's going, until his feet started to throb and his chest started to ache. He decided that he'd abused his lungs enough and plopped onto the grass and rolled onto his back to look at the clouds. The smile never left his face. Once his breathing calmed down and his adrenaline came to a low, he finally noticed the presence sitting further down the hill he laid on.

He sat up and faced the person whose back was turned towards him. It was a girl that looked to be his age. She had brown hair pulled into a low ponytail. He couldn't see the girls face but it seems like she was feeling down. She had her arms wrapped around her knees and she seemed to be staring at the pond below.

Obito felt like it was unfair that he was having such a good day and not somebody else, so he went up to the girl in hopes of cheering her up.

"Hey! What's wrong?" He asked as he tapped the girl's shoulder. She turned to him slowly and she seemed a little dazed at first until she focused her full attention on him. A look of recognition crossed her face and she smiled brightly.

"Obito Uchiha." She says.

Obito just blinked in surprise at her. He has never met the girl before. Or at least he didn't think so. Despite what people say about his memory due to his streak of lateness, he has a pretty good memory and he could never forget a face. So he has no idea how this girl would know his name.

"Uh? You know my name?"

She kept the same smile and nothing else other than amusement shown on her features. "You're well known amongst the elderly. Despite your young age, you help them with things that older kids couldn't care to do."

He blushed at that. He knew that the elderly greatly appreciated his help, but he didn't expect to be famous amongst them.

"Well, if I'm going to be Hokage I gotta help everyone I can."

If possible, she only smiled more. She looks so… _aware_. Her brown eyes glinted with a strong sense of knowing, showing wisdom beyond her years. He couldn't help but suppress a shudder at the look. It's like she can tear through his mind and find his darkest secrets and exploit them to the entire world with her eyes alone.

Not that he had any dark secrets. He is only four.

"A Hokage is a very strong person. Hokage's are meant to protect the village at all cost to the very end and have nerves of steel," she says matter of factly.

"Of course! When I become Hokage, I'll do anything for my comrades."

"Then you have my vote. Promise me that you'll be Hokage someday." She held up her pinky towards him. He looked at her confused. This would be the first time anyone had actually supported his goal instead of scoffing or saying that he could never make it. A stranger was holding up her pinky towards him as a sign of promise.

He couldn't help but latch his own pinky onto hers and shake. Now that Obito sealed the promise, despite it being with a stranger, he felt like his dream is really possible.

"What's your name anyway?" He asked the girl.

"Mitsuka Hara, but… I would prefer if I am called Mira by a friend."

"How come?"

A look of longing and sadness flickered through the girl's eyes for a moment. She looked back to the water and stared at her reflection.

"I think Mira suits me better."

Obito stares at the water in hopes of figuring out what this girl was looking so longingly at it for. But for all his four years of reading others expressions, he couldn't figure it out.

"Wanna play ninja?" The girl asked, bringing him back to reality.

With a grin, he nodded excitedly and they ran off to the park to play.

()()()

During the rest of that year, Obito and Mira became best friends. They would meet up every day at the park to play ninja and get ready for the academy the next year. Mira insisted that he hit the books before he enters the academy so that his academic grades will be decent. Obito protested at first until Mira mentioned that the Hokage had to have good grades in order to get the position. Of course, he didn't believe her, so she went to the extreme and brought him over to the Hokage tower for an interview.

He can still remember what the old man had said to him.

" _Ohoho! Of course, you need good grades to become Hokage, Obito. Without studying I wouldn't be able to manage my shinobi properly and be good with battle strategy."_

After that, Obito was determined to study hard. He didn't want to bring his future comrades down because he wasn't smart enough to keep them safe. Mira was very smart. She seemed to know just about anything about the three types of jutsu. So he listened to her lessons very carefully.

They told just about everything there is to know about themselves. Well, Obito said everything about himself, but Mira barely reveals anything about her.

He did learn that she was abandoned though.

" _I was a quiet baby. I didn't cry, and I didn't laugh. They grew to fear me as I was no normal baby. So, when I started walking and talking, they left. I have no idea where they are, but that's okay. They were strangers anyway."_

He couldn't believe it at first and even asked his grandma if she could move in with them. But Mira denied any pity. She said she was content with living alone because it gave her some peace and quiet to think.

He didn't believe her though. He never believes her when she say's that she was fine and okay. Because despite her being hard to read, he could clearly see the longing in her eyes. Whether it be for her parents or something else is what Obito couldn't figure out.

Along the way of their friendship, they made new friends. When they first met Rin Nohara, Obito felt a tingling in his chest. He felt like he was walking on clouds whenever she would talk to him and smile at him. He asked Mira about this feeling since she knew pretty much everything– in Obito's eyes– but she merely smirked with those knowing eyes and stated that he'll figure it out on his own soon.

And then there was Kakashi Hatake. The silver-haired boy was a priss in Obito's eyes. Always so perfect and such a know-it-all. He would get on Obito's case about being late all the time or for being slow in a game of tag. A certain spark of determination came to Obito when Kakashi was around. Obito felt the strong urge to be _better_ than Kakashi. He knew right away that Kakashi will become his rival, and he studied and trained as much as his four-year-old body would allow just to show him up.

Overall, though, they were decent friends to have.

And then the day when they would enter the academy came.

He was late. Like, _really_ late. When he arrived at the academy, it was already _too_ late. The children all filed out with their certificate of approval in their hands. Kakashi and Rin stopped when Obito fell to the ground, about to burst into tears.

"If you're going to be late all the time, then you shouldn't become a shinobi." Kakashi's ever so snarky reply rang through his ears.

"Don't worry, Obito. Mira came in your place to make sure you got your approval." Rin says.

He looks up at her in surprise. When Rin moved to the side, he saw the feet of Mira. He got up and dusted himself off and looked to Mira again. She was holding out a certificate of approval with his name in bold on it.

"I figured you'd be late so I took your place for a while."

He took the certificate from her and felt happiness swell through him. Then he noticed that Mira didn't have a copy of her own.

"What about you, Mira? Aren't you going to be in the academy?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I'm not cut out for being a shinobi. I won't have the stomach to fight."

Obito felt extremely disappointed at that. He was looking forward to becoming a ninja with his best friend.

"I'll be here after every class." she smiled at Obito and bowed to Rin and Kakashi signifying her leave. He watched her leave the academy until Rin ushered him to class.

The entire day felt a little empty without Mira there.

()()()

"You're doing well in your academic work, Obito. I'm proud." Mira says, reviewing Obito's report card. Obito grinned proudly at her praise. It's very rare for Mira to say things like that. "You're not dead last so that's wonderful. Only six spots left till you can be in the top three of the class."

"It was all thanks to you, Mira. I probably _would_ have been dead last if you haven't encouraged me to study harder."

She smiled at that. She gave Obito his report card back and they began walking together. They fell into comfortable silence. Obito really liked this part of their hangouts. Mira just had that sense of calm. He always felt comfortable. If it was Kakashi, Obito would have the feeling of annoyance, because he often thought Kakashi was only ignoring him. With Rin, it would feel awkward for Obito, because he feels like she doesn't want to be with him. But when it's with Mira, he just felt content with himself.

It was two months before he can graduate and Obito has been running up the ranks. He came in third best when it comes to taijutsu. Kakashi was first, even though he already graduated, and Gai was second. But each day Obito would train to get at least better than Gai and be on par with Kakashi.

And for some reason, Mira has gained some muscle mass as well. Obito know's that she likes to walk around when she's bored, but has she been helping the elders in his place as well? Obito knows full well that those bags can be a hassle, so it must be the reason.

They bought some pastries on the way to the park and when they got there, they sat down to eat.

"You wanna hear a story, Obito?"

Since when did Mira start telling stories? Obito thought to himself but dismissed it and nodded his head.

"... Once upon a time," she began, "...there was a boy. A boisterous mischievous little tyke, who was always smiling and laughing."

Mira closed her eyes as if picturing her words come to life.

"His village hated him. They feared him, became bitter, and spiteful. All because he contained something that had caused their pain, their suffering. They believed this boy to be a monster, the epitome of evil, and though they never lashed out in fear, they avoided him. However silly and ignorant the boy behaved, he noticed this— he heard the whispers, the barely concealed glares and fear in their eyes. He didn't understand, why they treated him like this, and he didn't have anyone. No friends. No family. No allies."

Obito found that he didn't particularly like this story. The stories that his grandmother always told seemed so happy. But this is just depressing. How could someone treat a little kid like that?

"When he was born, he had the love of his parents for all of half an hour, and was then left in a village that hated him alone." She took a bite out of her cake, "... But he never gave up. His dream was to become kage of his village and to earn the recognition of the people, and to be loved. Even when placed on a team of a survivor with a vendetta, a fangirl, and a mourner, he never gave up. Even when the odds seemed to be at their worst, he never gave up. Even when he lost one of the few he looked up to, he continued on his path."

"This boy is kinda like me," Obito says.

Mira nodded. "In a way, he is. Anyway… This boy was a key player in the plans of _another_." At this, she looked at him with those knowing eyes again. "Years before the boy was even born, a stubborn man lost himself to darkness after the death of a loved one. He allowed his grief to blind him, and as such, ended up becoming a willing servant of a manipulative individual. His ancestor. Under the spell of insanity his ancestor had woven over him, the man took the lives of the boy's parents, leaving the innocent child unprotected against his burden and the village. Countless times, the man intercepted the boy's attempts to save his loved ones, keep them happy, and gain happiness himself. Even started a _war_ in an effort to kill the boy and take his power. All this, for a convoluted dream…"

At this point, Obito wasn't even eating his tasty treats as he was too absorbed in the story.

"Against the hatred the boy had always lived against, he had managed to gather the trust and bonds of many nations, unknowingly being the link that joined the once-disagreeing leaders together. The boy and the man fought in a final clash. But there was a big difference. Where the boy had the wills and support of thousands… the man had none. The man had killed the people he had loved and betrayed the few that still lived. He turned to the darkness, foolishly clinging to a hopeless ideal to reclaim what he once thought was lost— what _he_ had destroyed _himself._ " Mira decided to stop and eat the rest of her pastries, leaving Obito in a world of confusion, and annoyance. He really hates cliffhangers.

"Well? How does it end?" Obito asked her. Mira only stopped halfway through stuffing her mouth and looked at him with innocent eyes that weren't so innocent in Obito's opinion.

She took a large gulp and cleared her throat. "Right… Well, the boy ended up teaching the man a valuable lesson, one that the man had lived by once before the course of insanity. The lesson was, there was no easy way out. People would always go through hardships and lose the ones they love, but once one lose themselves in the darkness that follows, failure will always be in their way."

He smiled at that. He never thought about it like that.

"I want you to remember that Obito," she says seriously. The look in her eyes… He couldn't decipher what they mean, like always. She knows something that he didn't. Probably something that nobody else knows– not even the Hokage. So, naturally, he chooses to listen to her advise.

"What was the boy's name?"

She grinned in amusement. "You'll find out soon." Was all she said. Obito was going to start pestering her for more information, but at such bad timing, Rin showed up and asked what they were doing.

And just like that, it was as if Mira never told Obito that story. But even as Rin was there, which seems to be Obito's main distraction, that story was all that Obito could think about.

()()()

"Congratulations on becoming a genin, Obito." Mira congratulated with a proud smile.

Thanks to Mira and her motivation tactics Obito had managed to make it to fourth in his class. It's not in the top three or even better than Kakashi, but Obito knew he wouldn't have made to even sixth place if it wasn't for Mira. So he was thankful.

"Too bad I ended up on a team with Kakashi. That bastard is already a chunin so I just _know_ he'll brag every chance he gets."

"Keep in mind, Obito. Kakashi has gone through a lot of hardship. It's part of the reason he's the way he is. I believe you will do him some good and help him overcome his dark past." Mira says, finishing the knot of the forehead protector around Obito's head.

"What kind of hardships did Kakashi face?" As far as Obito was concerned, Kakashi lives a perfect life. Obito finds it kind of hard to believe that Kakashi had a hard life. Although, he did notice how his behavior changed from being snarky to being a full-on jackass, all in the span of one year. Plus, Kakashi graduated after only a year of being in the academy so Obito hasn't really gotten a chance to catch up with the Hatake.

"That isn't my story to tell, Obito. Just keep in mind that Kakashi needs your help. It may get annoying in the long run, but he'll come around, just be patient." She then held up a mirror and Obito took a look at himself. His shiny new forehead protector glinted in the light. He sent a pearly white smile at his reflection. Now, he's even closer to becoming a Hokage– closer to fulfilling his promise to Mira.

"You look great, Obito."

Today, Obito Uchiha is officially a ninja of Konoha.

()()()

Obito had decided that Minato-sensei was like an older brother to him. The man was always protective of his students, but the man also has the bad habit of treating them like babies. He also is only ten years older than him and his teammates, so he sorta is like his older brother.

When Obito first met the man, the first thing Obito thought about him was, ' _He looks girly._ ' But the man was far from girly when it came to training. The bell test was difficult, due to how _fast_ Minato-sensei was. He didn't get the bells in the end, so he was surprised to have passed it. The whole exercise was based on teamwork.

After Minato-sensei explained the importance of teamwork, Obito decided that this man was going to be one of his idols.

The whole team spent the first few weeks of doing miniscule tasks called D-ranked 'missions'. To Obito, they were all just chores with money as payment. But he did them without complaint… Unless it was the capture Tora mission. That cat is the spawn of a demon. And what's up with hearing that the older generations had to capture that damn cat too? Even the _Hokage_ had that mission, and he's _ancient_. Is the cat immortal or something?

Anyway, Obito hasn't been able to hang out with Mira for a while though because of all of these missions, so he asked her to come by during his training so they could hang out afterward.

Now, here's the thing about Mira. Obito has never seen Mira associating with anyone other than him, Rin, and Kakashi. So you could imagine his surprise when Mira came and his sensei shouted, "Hey Mira! What are you doing here?"

He never would've guessed that his sensei and best friend were already acquainted with each other. What a small world.

"Hello, big brother"

Now _that_ confused him. So they weren't just acquainted? They knew each other well enough to call one big brother and little sister? Since when did this happen?

"You guys know each other?" Obito asked.

"When you were in the academy, I hung out with his fiancee. It was inevitable to meet him."

"But why do you call him big brother?"

"I kept calling him Mr. Namikaze, and apparently that makes him feel old so he makes me call him big brother." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"So, wait. If you had been hanging out with his fiancee all this time and not helping carry bags, then how did you gain so much muscle?"

Obito didn't fail to notice the aura of secrecy emitting from his sensei. But like always, Mira showed no signs of what she is thinking. She smiled and simply stated that she likes to exercise on her free time.

A part of Obito felt unconvinced, but the other part didn't mind it at all. He knew that Mira has secrets, and he respects that, but he also knows that she will reveal them to him someday.

He decided to let it go. "Well, let's go get something to eat." he turns around to his teammates and asked if they wanted to join them. Kakashi just scoffed and walked away. Rin was more polite and said she had training at the hospital. Minato just said he was saving room for dinner. Apparently, his fiance would force feed him ramen if he doesn't finish all of his food."

They went to a dango shop and ordered our dango. "So, you gonna tell me what that boy's name was?" He asked, referring to the story she had told him.

She made a thinking face and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "His name is…" Obito leaned in, in anticipation. "Something you'll find out on your own."

"Uggh! You always avoid telling me the answer. Why can't you just tell me? It's just a story." Obito honestly doesn't know why he cared so much about a name anyway. But he felt like it was important, and after all the studying Mira had him do, he knows that he must _always_ know the important things.

She used her dango sticks as chopsticks and plucked a dango off his own stick and ate it.

"Just be patient Obito. I'll tell you when the time is right."

He just muttered incoherent words and ended with "and quick plucking my sweets."

()()()

Eventually, Obito and his team got to meet this so-called fiancee Minato has. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki. She had this red hair that somehow floats menacingly when she gets angry. She was the dominant one in the relationship, that much was clear. She was boisterous, chatty, and mischievous. If she wasn't a woman, he would've thought that the boy from Mira's story was Kushina.

But alas, it wasn't, and Obito still had no clue who the little boy was.

Kushina can be a little naggy at times, so Obito felt a little spiteful when he started calling her old lady. It was fun to be around her though.

When Mira introduced us, he saw how Kushina's eyes stayed on his for a moment longer than the others. It was just what Minato-sensei had done during team introductions. It has something to do with Mira. That much is obvious. Everything that surrounds her is mysterious.

()()()

Today is the day that could alter the entirety of the war. Obito felt anxious. This will be the first mission without Minato-sensei there to guide them.

Obito walked to the west gates with Mira walking a few paces behind him.

For the first time ever, Obito was able to decipher what Mira was feeling.

Fear.

Which, with any other person, he would understand. Your best friend going on a mission that could end an entire war, not knowing whether or not they'll survive and come home. Of course that would be scary.

But Mira isn't just any other person. She knew what could happen on missions. And she accepted that. On his first C-rank mission, he came home all bruised up. She only patted him on the back and told him he was brave.

She knew that there was a high possibility of him and the others not coming home on that mission, but she was positive that nothing bad would happen.

So to see her with fear in her eyes, he couldn't help but feel scared as well. It was to the point that he wanted to cry because for as long as he could remember, Mira was his stronghold. She was an unbreakable wall that protected him in a way. She was his assurance. But now that wall has crumbled and Obito felt vulnerable.

"What's wrong Mira?"

She didn't say anything. They just kept walking. Obito knew that when she doesn't answer a question, she's usually trying to collect herself before answering.

He heard her sigh after a while of silence and he figured she was finally going to answer his question.

"I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you're my best friend. I don't think I would've survived this long if it wasn't for you Obito. You kept me alive."

He stopped at that and turned to face her. What did she mean by that?

"Obito! Come on!" He looked back to see his team waiting for him at the gates. He was gonna shout that he was coming when he was suddenly pulled into a hug.

"Naruto," she whispered

"Huh?"

"His name. It's Naruto."

Well, that was strange. Who names their child after ramen topping?

His thoughts were pulled back by a soft touch to his cheek. He stiffened at the contact and watched as Mira pulled back.

He felt his face heat up, "D-Did you just—"

"Please come home."

It was then he noticed the tears on her cheeks. Why was she crying? Was something going to happen while he was on the mission?

The only thing he could think of to cheer her up was make a promise.

"Don't worry, I promise that I'll be back. I still need to become Hokage, remember?"

She smiled brightly at that and wiped her tears away.

"Come on Obito!" He heard Kakashi's voice yell out. Mira then ushered him towards the gates, not wanting to keep him and his team too long, and watched as they gradually disappeared into the forest.

()()()

A herd of kunai came at Obito. He managed to deflect them all in just the nick of time. Many ninjas from Kumo came down from the trees to attack them.

They were outnumbered. Obito tried his hardest to fight, but wasn't paying attention to all of the enemies. Which is something one should _not_ do in battle. But he didn't and he almost died because of it.

After that, he started to panic. He kept fighting, adrenaline kicking in and his limbs just moving on its own in order to _survive_. But there were too many, and some were still coming into the fight.

His eyes welled up and tears of fear blurred his vision. A blur of yellow caught his attention and he could hear the swish of a kunai slicing the throats of the Kumo ninja.

He wipes his eyes in time to see blue light come from Kakashi's hand with the sound of a thousand birds. Kakashi ran up to the remaining Kumo ninja with electricity lighting his hand and killing them one by one. But he was too fast. The last Kumo ninja he faced ended up swinging his katana, and Kakashi was going too fast to stop in time and move out the way.

Minato-sensei managed to stop the attack from happening and finished off the rest of the enemies.

When the coast was clear, Obito took out his eye drops and put some drops in his eyes.

"Are you seriously crying?" he heard Kakashi say in annoyance.

"I got some dirt in my eye, jerk." Obito shot back.

"It's a little hard to believe you got dirt in your eyes even when wearing goggles," Minato-sensei said and Obito looks down in shame. He knew that what he did was dangerous. But he couldn't help it. He had remembered the look in Mira's eyes when she told him how grateful she was that he was her friend. It was like she was saying goodbye for the last time.

So when he was almost killed just earlier, he thought that if he didn't survive, then it really _would_ be her last goodbye. And he was scared of leaving her all alone.

They moved on and separated with Minato-sensei later on after a night of rest.

Everything was fine and dandy, walking through the forest of bamboo. But then shit hit the fan and Rin got kidnapped.

And that _bastard_ wanted to move on without her!

"They're most likely just getting information from her. She'll survive. Right now, we need to focus on finishing the mission."

Obito couldn't believe what he was hearing. All this time, Rin has been taking care of the team, and Kakashi would willingly leave her behind? Obito knew that Kakashi was a jerk, but he didn't expect _this_!

With so much anger broiled up inside him the first thing that came to mind was to knock some sense into Kakashi. He sent a swift right hook onto the Hatake's face that landed Kakashi on the ground looking at Obito with shock.

The conversation with sensei about Kakashi the night before rang through his head.

"I believe that The White Fang was a hero." he starts, then he remembers the story that Mira had told him years ago. The man in the story, he felt hatred for that man. The man abandoned his friends and his comrades all for the loss of one. Much like Kakashi is doing right now.

" _Kakashi has gone through a lot of hardship. It's part of the reason he's the way he is. I believe you will do him some good and help him overcome his dark past."_

Mira's words rang through. It was up to him to help Kakashi, but now Obito sees that he had failed to do so. Obito felt disappointed in himself.

"Those who disregard the rules are considered scum. But… those who abandon their friends are _worst_ than scum."

Obito turns around, not wanting to face his failure.

"I'm going to rescue Rin, whether you want me to or not."

And with that, he left.

()()()

Just when things started to look right, it all went terribly wrong. Obito was ecstatic that Kakashi found some sense and came back to help him rescue Rin. He ended up getting his sharingan and saving Kakashi. They were finally working together instead of trying to best one another. The only flaw was that Kakashi had lost his eye.

And that's how things went south.

They were running out of the cave that was collapsing. They were doing fine, but with Kakashi's new blind spot, he couldn't see the boulder that was coming at him fast. Obito did the first thing that came to kind, which was to _protect_.

He grabbed the Hatake by the collar and threw him out of the way, but he couldn't get out in time to save _himself._

Everything went too quick for his mind to catch up. The cave finally finished collapsing and the dust started to settle.

He couldn't feel the right side of his body.

"OBITO!" He heard the cries of Kakashi and Rin.

He just laid there motionlessly. He was completely crushed under the weight of a boulder.

He could see Kakashi trying to move the boulder off of him but failing. He was crying, which would usually lead to Obito making fun of him, but thought that now was not the time.

"It's no use. I completely... lost feeling on my right side… It's only a matter of time before…" He didn't finish his sentence.

Kakashi just broke down and Obito couldn't believe how weak Kakashi looks. He never thought he'd see the day that Kakashi would be crying over him.

"I want to give you something…"

He ended up giving him his eye. Which is something to be unexpected of an Uchiha. The sharingan eye is the most treasured amongst the clan and to give one away would be either a huge honor to the receiver, or a big insult to the clan.

Rin had done the transplant, all the while keeping her tears inside. When she was done, Kakashi went out to stop the oncoming Kumo ninja. The last thing he ever heard from Obito was, "Please… Protect her. Protect Rin."

And then the rocks came tumbling over to cover what it failed to cover in the first place.

This was it. He won't be able to see how strong Kakashi could become. He wouldn't ever get the chance to tell Rin how he feels… He won't be able to keep his promises to Mira.

()()()

Obito groaned as he tries to adjust to the darkness. He felt cold. ' _Am I… dead?'_ He thought. When his eyes finally focuses he caught sight of a piercing red eye, and he gasped in surprise, his own red eye widening.

"Where… am I?" Obito asks the strange old man.

"Between this life and the next, my young Uchiha." was what the man answered with, and Obito couldn't help but think of Mira, always talking in riddles.

"Those eyes… No way gramps.. You're an Uchiha too?"

"Well, hmph. Perhaps I am." the man answered with a little amusement.

Obito finally noticed the bandages around his body, "You rescued me?" he asks, "But wait. You said 'In this life and the next'... where exactly is that? It's dark, I can't see." Obito looked around once more as if to prove his statement. "And besides, Gramps. Who in the world are you?" He then grins in amusement, "Heh, don't tell me you're actually Death himself. You know, the guy that escorts people to heaven or to hell?"

At that particular time, a shiny object decided to make its appearance, and Obito found that the old man was holding a black scythe. It was then that Obito realized this guy really _could_ be Death.

He rose up into a sitting position writhing in his bandages that he failed to notice, "NOOOO! I DON'T WANNA DIE! SOMEBODY HAAAALLLP!"

The old man just stared at Obito with no expression. Clearly, he is not impressed.

"I JUST SAW A SCYTHE! I KNEW IT! I WAS RIGHT! YOU'RE THE GRIM REAPER! DEATH HIMSELF FOR THE UCHIHA CLAN!" Obito just couldn't stop spouting out nonsense. "But wait! I lived my life by my motto, helping out the elderly people in need! I mean sure, I caused a lot of mischief and broke some rules but I'm sure the balance on the scale tips on the positive side!" Even Obito knew that it was ridiculous trying to make a deal with Death, but his smarts seemed to just float off somewhere until later on. "Please! Not Hell!" Obito winces as pain shoots through his entire body.

"The simple fact that you can feel pain means that you're still alive." The man says, staring into Obito's eyes. "However, the fact that you survived can be called miraculous. It's incredible that those boulders did not crush you. You can say it was like… you passed right through them."

Obito stares at the man with a miffed look. It's not _impossible_ , as ninja can do virtually _anything_. But… Obito was sure that he didn't pass through those boulders if the lack of a right side has anything to attest to that.

"So, how did you find me?"

"Inside an underground passageway that I had created, collapsed by some crumbled rock." He answered. "Still, half your body was mostly crushed. I patched you up as best I could but…"

"Are you saying that you saved me, Gramps?" Obito asked when the man drawled out his sentence, "Wow, thank you."

"It's too early to thank me just yet. And besides, I still intend you to repay your debt, after all, helping the elderly is your motto, isn't it?"

"Oh, well yeah, I guess so. But um… what do you want me to do? Help you with bathroom stuff?" Obito asks a little suspiciously. This old guy seemed sketchy in Obito's eyes, and the fact that they're in an underground cave, _alone,_ didn't make it seem less so. Obito could only hope it _was_ bathroom stuff. Mira didn't tell him that there are some elderly that aren't very nice to little kids and to watch out for them no matter how friendly and kind they act.

"That would be good."

But then again, Obito didn't want to do bathroom work either. No matter, if this guy decided to do anything inappropriate, he'd kill him.

"Well, sorry. But I can't stay here forever. Now that I know that I'm alive, I gotta get home to the Leaf Village." He says determinedly, "There's a war going on, my sharingan is finally awakened, so I can protect my comrades better now."

"Protect your comrades better?"

Obito sensed that the old man didn't quite believe in those words.

"What's wrong gramps?"

"I am afraid that with the body you have now, your life as a shinobi is over."

"Huh? No! No! No! But I- But I finally got this eye! And I'm confident my combination attacks will be even better now!"

He remembers how Kakashi lost his eye, and Obito wasn't good enough to stop the attack. The urge to protect and the anger at himself for not being able to protect his teammate was what caused his sharingan to come alive.

"If that were to happen now, I wouldn't let that happen!" He says to himself. ' _This time, I will protect my comrades.'_ he thought to himself.

"Wake up to reality. Nothing ever goes as planned in this cursed world. The longer you live the more you will realize, the only things that truly exist in this reality are only pain and suffering."

' _So depressing… what's up with this old man?'_

"Listen, wherever you look in this world, wherever there is light, there will always be shadows to be found as well. As long as there is a concept of victors, the vanquished will also exist. The selfish intent of wanting to preserve peace, initiate wars, and hatred is born in order to protect love. There are nexuses that cause a relationship that cannot be separated normally."

Obito mentally regretted saying anything. Now the guy was starting a lecture, and old people go on _forever_ with those.

"So, where are we now anyway?" Obito asks, trying to change the subject before this man gets too deep into the lecture.

"In exchange for you getting injured, another or others were saved, isn't that so?"

His eyes widened at that. How dare he mention that! How dare he make his sacrifice seem for naught!

"Just shut up already! I can't stay in here for too long old man! I gotta get- Nngh!" Obito winces as more pain shoots through his body, this time much worse than the last.

"Very well then. You may leave if you want to. _If_ you are even able to move that is." And then the old man started to walk away.

Obito tried to get the pain under controlled as he observed the old man walking away from him. ' _Wait a second… there's something weird with that guy. What's a geezer with a sharingan doing here all by himself? Come to think of it, I know all the old geezers and grannies in the Leaf village… I've never seen him around before. So this guy currently isn't a Leaf shinobi. Which means…'_

"Hey gramps! I bet you're a rogue ninja, aren't you? Who are you?!" The old man sits down on a big tree stump, shaped like a throne, and puts his scythe down.

"I am merely an Uchiha ghost." It was then that he realized there was a _huge_ statue behind the man. It was shaped like a big flower bud. "I am Madara Uchiha."

' _Madara?!'_ He thought, "But… Madara? You mean Madara Uchiha? My ancestor?" When he said those words, Mira's face came to mind.

' _He allowed his grief to blind him, and as such, ended up becoming a willing servant of a manipulative individual. His ancestor._ '

Obito knew that that wasn't just a story. There was truth behind every word Mira had said that time. But… could it be?

That he was….

No, it can't be. "Madara was supposed to die ages ago! What era are we talking about?!"

"Let me get this straight. You're more likely to believe that I am the grim reaper, is that what you're saying?" The man then grins, "Well, I guess I might just be dead in a sense. For truly, this reality is a Hell. I am a cheater of death. Without a doubt, I would be dead in no time at all, if I was not continuously deciphering chakra from the Ghetto Statue behind me."

Obito looks at the statue and could see what looks like humanoid figures, hanging lifelessly. His eye widens at the view. This guy is dangerous, he can feel it. And if the man in Mira's story is who he thinks it is…

NO! Obito will never allow that to happen. He hated that man! There's no way he will…

"I'm going home!" Obito shouted in a panic. He falls forward on his stomach and tempts to crawl away with whatever limbs he had left. He can't be here for much longer. He has to get out quickly and make sure that everyone is okay.

"Do not bother. There are no exits in here. And no matter what, neither you or I are able to leave right now. Not with these bodies at least."

Obito looks at him in fear.

"Move, and the synthetic Hashirama tissue I took the trouble of attaching to you will peel off." Obito just decided to ignore him. He'll find a way to get out, and whatever that Hashirama tissue crap is can peel off anyway. He wasn't concerned about that right now. He just wants to get home, back where everything was okay, where he was always late and was helping the elderly.

"Do you wish to die? There are a lot of things that I would like you to do for me, for the rest of our lives. We wasted our lives, there are great things I need to say to you, so don't rush to your death."

This guy just wouldn't shut up! With every word that comes out of his wrinkly old mouth, the thought of him himself being the man in Mira's story started to become truer and truer. He always felt that Mira knew about the future, like the way she cried when he went on this mission. She knew that he would end up in this situation. She knew that he would be the dead last if he didn't study. She knew that Kakashi needed him and that he'll be the one to set him straight. She knew _everything_. And now… Now he wished that the story she told was just that. A _story_.

The man in the story betrayed all of his friends and comrades, all for the loss of one. There's only a select few whom Obito would turn to darkness for, and he was scared of them _dying_. How can he sit here knowing that this old man is going to manipulate him, keep him here until the very last minute, when he could be out _there,_ keeping watch over everyone?

"What do you want?! What does a crazy geezer like you even want from a brat like me anyway?!"

"I want to sever the fate of this world. A world of only victors, a world for only peace. A world of only love. I will create such a world."

"So what, who cares?! I just want- I just want to go back home to everyone!"

"And as I told you, things in this world simply don't go as planned. In time you'll come to realize that is the truth." He says, "If you really want to die that badly then go ahead. But I shall be taking that sharingan of yours."

"Why do you want my eye?! You already have a sharingan of your own!"

"Actually, my original eye is currently on loan to another person. This one is just a spare that I transplanted earlier. And I would like to keep yours in stock." He lifts his long gray hair out of his face to reveal an empty eye socket. "And I do not have a right eye yet. And only with two eyes together can the sharingan's true power be unleashed."

All the more to get back to the Leaf Village then. With Kakashi and Obito together, they can become stronger. Then they'll be able to protect both Rin and Mira. So he just _has_ to get out of there fast!

()()()

In the end, he passed out and woke up to two deformed humanoid beings called white zetsu whispering over his rock (bed). They kept asking about who Rin and Stupid Kakashi is, as he was shamefully talking in his sleep. And then they started asking what the urge to poo feels like. It was so annoying he became even more determined to get out of there.

Though they were great company to keep around. They weren't boring like the old man who just sleeps in that throne of his. At least they were entertaining. They helped him get in shape along with the memories he cherishes the most.

It was what would be months later when it happened.

He was laying on the bed, thinking of ways he could get out and one of the white zetsu popped in through the wall and told them that Kakashi and Rin were surrounded by hidden mist shinobi. Without hesitation or thought, he jumped out of the rock bed, shattering it with his momentum and ran to the blocked cave entrance. He gave one hard punch to the wall that resulted in creating a crater and destroying his synthetic arm.

"There's no way you can break boulders with that body yet." The swirly zetsu says.

"But I have to protect Rin and Kakashi."

Zetsu was silent for a while, and then his entire body unraveled itself and started to wrap around Obito. "Here, why don't you wear _my_ body."

"You guys… are Madara's henchmen. Are you sure about this?" What is their game?

"He really is… a good boy." The other says.

"Don't you want to help Rin and Kakashi?"

Right, he shouldn't be worried about himself, as long as he gets out of this cave and save Rin and Kakashi, then he's all for it.

"Thanks guys."

With Zetsu's strength, he was able to punch through the wall.

And then once again, Madara tried to stop him. His last words, "You will come back to me. And you will show me your gratitude."

No, he wouldn't. As he left, he came across weapons and cloaks. He took a cloak and made his way outside.

Apparently, the mist is doing something with a secret project. And their test subjects is either Rin or Kakashi or even both. Minato-sensei was gone, and there's no way Kakashi could go up against high-level jounin and anbu.

An explosion sounded through Obito's ears, and water started to rain down from the sky.

In the distance he could see massive waves of water shoot from the ground in the distance.

"I just got word from the others. It seems like that's the location. And someone has entered the fight… the one with silver hair called her Mira."

Obito's eyes widen at that. What the hell was Mira doing there?! She's not a shinobi! It's too dangerous for her!"

"She's really strong. And she's quite good with seals."

' _Ugh! What is going on? Mira know's seals now? Did she learn from Kushina? Sensei?'_

Along the way, he faltered. He started to see stuff in black and white, like it was a film. A bright light taking down enemies… Rin jumping in the way… Mira pushing her out the way leaving black marks to creep onto Rin's shoulders… Mira is coughing up blood now… She's saying something. She's looking right at him, in a way. He knows that he's not really seeing this, that this is all in his head, but it feels like Mira is trying to tell him something.

'O' Something with an 'o' sound. His name? Was she calling to him?

Obito stopped at a clearing and scanned the battlefield. He then stared in horror.

Kakashi's hand was piercing through Mira's chest.

Her head slowly turns to his direction, and she looks him straight in the eyes. She knew all along that he'll appear. She smiled. Everything but the two of them seemed to freeze. Her lips twitched, as if she was saying something, but it was hard to tell.

A faint whisper of "keep your promises… remember me…" drifted with the wind and into Obito's ears. His screams of pain and anguish ripped through the clearing, and drowned out everything around him as he watched Mira's body go limp, and fall to the floor with an audible thud. He felt blood pulsating through his head, his eye itched as everything just fades into black and red. He rushed forward with a strong intent to kill, kill, _kill_.

He passed through all of their attacks and ripped their bodies to shreds. The mist ninja went after Rin, and he practically smashed their skulls into pieces for even _considering_ taking another loved one.

One by one, they fell to the slaughter. It was a bloodbath, and Obito was swimming in it. He has never felt this much pain, this much _anger_. His moral codes were pushed to the back of his mind as a feral monstrosity took its place. He didn't let up until every last enemy was _slaughtered._

He stood in the middle of a sea of blood, Zetsu's body unfurling to reveal his identity. He looks over to Mira's _lifeless_ body. He walks over to her, walking through Kakashi's unconscious form, ignoring Rin's surprised gasp and shiver's of fear. He knelt down next to Mira. He went to remove the hair from her face, but his hands only passed through her.

For a moment, Obito thought about considering Madara's dream world. A world where the dead was alive, where there were only victors and everyone was the same. Oh, how _tempting_ it all was. But… something Mira had told him long ago, had changed his thought process.

" _...The boy ended up teaching the man a valuable lesson, one that the man had lived by once before the course of insanity. The lesson was, there was no easy way out. People would always go through hardships and lose the ones they love, but once one lose themselves in the darkness that follows, failure will always be in their way."_

" _I want you to remember that, Obito."_

Mira knew all along that this would happen. That he would turn to darkness and insanity. And she told him that story, in order to prevent that. The dream world would be the best thing to ever happen to Obito. But like in Mira's story, it was just that. A _dream_. A dream will never allow one to experience the true feelings of love, hatred, and sadness. One will never truly experience that of friendship within a dream.

"O-Obito…?" he heard someone faintly, and hesitantly call out. He looks up from Mira's body and looks Rin in the eyes. There was a mixture of relief, sorrow, disbelief, and fear in her eyes.

"How…" His voice was hoarse, dry. "How was she involved? What happened?" He questioned.

Guilt laced Rin's voice when she spoke. "I- I don't know… She- She just appeared-and I- She pushed me and- I- I am sorry! It's all my fault! If I- If I didn't jump in front of Kakashi's attack she would've never- I am _so_ sorry, Obito. It's all my fault. It's _all_ my fault! I'm sorry." Rin started to burst into tears and sobs of guilt. Guilt from being so weak.

He let her cry it out. "Tell Madara… I'm not interested." Obito says to Zetsu while Rin was crying.

"Madara would not be pleased with this," he replied back before removing himself from Obito and sinking into the ground.

When Rin's crying came to sniffles, Obito asked another question. "I saw, through my other eye, that she placed a seal on you. What for?"

Rin wiped her eyes, and her nose, and tried to speak. "They… *sniff* sealed a demon in me to- to attack Konoha. She- it felt like she made *sniff* the seal stronger *sniff*" She answered and Obito didn't say anything else afterward. "Obito, how did you- how are you _here_? I saw you- You were _crushed_ , buried! I thought you were dead! We all did. Me and Kakashi, we saw it happen. So how-"

"I was saved. By a mere shadow. A shadow that needs to _disappear._ "

Madara caused this. He planned out _everything._ How else does one explain what happened here? Madara kept him in that cave for months, and just as Rin and Kakashi needed help, he was able to escape. The mist could've chosen any other candidates for their little experiment. Anyone would've been perfect for the job. But to choose the students of _The Yellow Flash_ was just suicide for anyone. Unless, Madara somehow manipulated the mist into picking Rin. Because he _knew_ that Obito had feelings for her. He _knew_ that Obito would willingly do whatever it would take to get Rin back if he had lost her. And it would've worked, if it hadn't all been for Mira.

Mira… he doesn't know how she knew all of this. But she did, and she planned practically all her life to counter Madara's plan of manipulating Obito. She foiled Madara's plans. But in the process, she lost her life.

And Madara is the one who's going to pay for it.

Rin and Obito sat there in silence, mourning the one they lost. It was a few hours until their backup came and helped them all home.

No one asked questions. It was a silent trek home. Mira's body was placed into a scroll. Obito and Kakashi were being carried. And Rin walked a ways ahead of him in fear of facing disappointment and resentment.

Obito was falling in the state of unconsciousness. He was weak and emotionally drained. He was tired.

He fell asleep, memories of him and Mira crowding his dreams.

()()()

Obito's eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the bright light that looms over him. The repetitive beeps of his heart monitor filled the white room that he occupied. He felt someone holding his hand and the bed was dipped to his left. He turns his head to see a mop of spiky blonde hair.

Minato-sensei.

The man must've been there for a very long time. There were purple rings around his eyelids and the redness of his nose and puffiness on his bottom eyelids indicated that the man was crying.

Obito felt guilt wash over him. To think, that Obito would have betrayed this man, had things been different. Minato-sensei had been the brother and father figure in Obito's life. The man cared and worried over him like Obito was his own blood. And Obito had– _would've_ betrayed him.

A soft groan came from the blond man. Minato-sensei shifted and blinked awake drowsily. The man sat up and rubbed away the sleep and letting out a big yawn. When he was finally awake, he laid his eyes onto Obito. Minato-sensei blinked, before he pulled Obito into a bone-crushing hug in an instant.

Obito felt a surge of emotions well up inside of him. Obito wrapped his arms around his sensei. It's been awhile since he's received a hug. Obito's a tactile person, or thinks that he'd like to be, and touch right now is a grounding sort of comfort.

A sob escaped his throat. "She's gone, sensei." It was the first time he cried for her death. The finalization, the reality that she is _gone forever._ His best friend, his strength, his everything…

Minato-sensei trembled a little, trying to keep his composure and be strong for the student he thought he had lost. "I know how you feel… She was like family to me and Kushina." the man says.

"She knew how everything would happen. She planned this. She saved Rin, and she saved me from darkness."

Minato-sensei nodded his head in understanding. "When she was younger, she told us stories about a man and a boy. I knew immediately that it wasn't just a story, she was warning us. So I taught her the art of sealing and helped her train, knowing she would do some good in the future."

"Did you also figure out that I'm the man?"

Minato let out a long sigh, "Yeah… I figured it out." He let the boy go and looked into Obito's single eye. The boy looked at him as if he was scared that Minato would be mad at him. Minato smiled at the boy and ruffled his hair. "I'm glad you didn't choose that path in this lifetime."

Obito sniffed and wiped his tears away. He smiled back at Minato, happy to know that he wasn't hated.

"I'm going to assume that you met the ancestor mentioned in the story. He's dangerous, I'll need information about him."

In an instant, Obito's face became serious, and he told Minato everything that happened in the months he was gone.

He won't let Mira's sacrifice go in vain. He'll do whatever it takes to keep Madara from destroying any more lives.

()()()

It's been seventeen years since Mira's death. Obito and Minato had managed to kill Madara, and seal away the Ghetto statue and the white zetsu. Rin was alive, and Kakashi and Obito became closer as friends. They were the most efficient team. Minato became the Hokage, and he and Kushina had a son.

Naruto.

That was what they named their son. Obito was the only one who knew the name of the boy in Mira's story. This was the boy, who brought the five nations together as one. This was the boy who was hated and scorned, yet managed to have thousands at his back fighting with him as comrades.

This was the boy that changed the man.

In this lifetime, however, Naruto wasn't hated, wasn't scorned. He was still mischievous, still boisterous. He pulled pranks, got on many people's nerves. But he had the natural ability to bring people together, to bring out the good in others, and to inspire.

Obito was glad to have been apart of the boy's life.

Although… he would greatly appreciate it if the boy would just _stop_ painting his newly made stone face!

"NARUTO! QUIT DEFACING MY FACE! I WORKED HARD TO GET UP THERE!" Obito yelled as he chased after the boy.

The teenage blonde mockingly laughed at him, "Hahahaha! But you look _great_ as a girl uncle Obito! Hahahahaha!"

"I'M A _MAN_ DAMMIT!"


End file.
